Food standards slipping ?

Does anyone think the standard of the complimentary RCCL food is slipping ?

We are currently on a cruise with them and in my opinion the food has fell well short of previous trips granted I haven't cruised much however family members we are travelling with have said similar and they've used RCCL many times.

In the last 15 years of so, there has been a marked decline in food quality AND presentation.

Food is a very subjective topic, but I think food standards really depend on the ship you are sailing. I have found that some ships are just better than others when it comes to food preparation.

Does anyone think the standard of the complimentary RCCL food is slipping ? ...

Yes.

Food is a very subjective topic, but I think food standards really depend on the ship you are sailing. I have found that some ships are just better than others when it comes to food preparation.

Navigator of the Seas

Does anyone think the standard of the complimentary RCCL food is slipping ?

Most definitely!

Does anyone think the standard of the complimentary RCCL food is slipping ?

 

We are currently on a cruise with them and in my opinion the food has fell well short of previous trips granted I haven't cruised much however family members we are travelling with have said similar and they've used RCCL many times.

Yes, very much so. We've recently begun having dinner in WJ more often as the difference in food variety and preparation between WJ and MDR has narrowed---and with WJ you're spending less time. I even think there's been at least one time when the appetizers in the CL ended up our evening meal.

It's unforrtunate. Now, why would RCL let this happen? Cost savings? Probably. Or is there method to the madness? Cost to operate a sit-down restaurant are greater than the cost to operate a buffet. Will we one day have only a choice between buffet and specialty restaurant?

Complimentary?

In general I think this is true on all the major lines, I find most dinners hit and miss, last few cruises we have had most of our dinners in specialty restaurants

I did notice it on my last cruise on the Adventure in May. When it come to food I am normally not too hard to please but I have noticed a slight decline.

Hi,

My first Royal Caribbean cruise was on the Sun Viking in 1983. Food standards have definitely slipped over the years (but this is true of most major cruise lines). I recently cruised aboard the Independence of the Seas from Southampton (Aug. 12 - 20, 2017) and was not impressed with the food. It was okay, but nothing special. My only excellent meal was dinner one night in Chops Grille.

Chuck

Most definitely been declining for the past few years.

We tend to eat in the Windjammer more often now.

Far greater choice it really is very pleasant in the evenings ok you have to get the food yourself but no big deal much quieter and obviously quicker.

It is just a shame it isn't perhaps open an hour longer.

Definitely slipping. Sadly, I think they're trying to push people to the specialty restaurants.

I do think it's a mixed bag. On Adventure a few years back I sent back about 4 out of 14 nights dishes as they were poor. On Oasis in Feb the new style menu was excellent with interesting and good quality dishes. We are on Indy in 10 days so will see how things are there.

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In general I think this is true on all the major lines, I find most dinners hit and miss, last few cruises we have had most of our dinners in specialty restaurants

Agree with this. If you check out the boards for the other big cruise lines you will find plenty of threads about the overall quality of food declining. Even Celebrity, which has always been known for having great food, has been getting a lot of complaints. Maybe it's simply cost cutting, maybe it's a strategy for getting people to eat in the for-fee venues. Nonetheless, I've never gone hungry on any cruise and will continue to feed my cruise addiction ;)

Definitely slipping. Sadly, I think they're trying to push people to the specialty restaurants.

That may be a fringe motivation, but there just aren't enough seats in specialty restaurants to accomodate volume if that were the primary reason. I'd say cost cutting is the primary factor.

But you see than in businesses of all types. You can raise prices, cut costs or both. And for the longest time RCI was keeping prices mostly stagnant.... not that they are doing that so much anymore.

Yes, food quality and presentation has slipped - but I still prefer the personalized service of the MDR and at the "set" dining times, and not "my time". I want the same waiter/assistant waiter each night - as when I sit down, there is my iced tea, and they always have the decaf coffee ready. Sailed Oasis years ago and couldn't get a decaf at all due to the size of the ship and how far the servers had to go for it. Now, that, I will complain about... make me feel special while eating, and the food doesn't matter so much.

Agree with this. If you check out the boards for the other big cruise lines you will find plenty of threads about the overall quality of food declining. Even Celebrity, which has always been known for having great food, has been getting a lot of complaints. Maybe it's simply cost cutting, maybe it's a strategy for getting people to eat in the for-fee venues. Nonetheless, I've never gone hungry on any cruise and will continue to feed my cruise addiction ;)

Celebrity is owned by Royal Caribbean so they are making similar cost cutting measures and yes... the quality of their food has gone down drastically (IMHO).

 

Nonetheless, I've never gone hungry on any cruise...

 

Not going hungry is a pretty low bar.

On our last cruise, the MDR quality was below average and except for Giovanni the for-fee dining options were not impressive.

The only reason I like to eat in the MDR is because I enjoy sitting down and being served. I don't cruise because of the food but some of the meals I've had on RCI were just average. I was on Celebrity Equinox last week and the food was probably the best I've had in the past few years.

To be fair both Chops and Giovanni's have been excellent but the rest have been average at best. I could give you many other issues but that would take the thread way off topic.

250% - across 15 cruises over 13 years, I can say that I have watched the decline happen.

My first cruise on the Adventure of the Seas the food, quality and service was excellent. My comparison to be clear is not one or two ships, it is a dozen different ones, because I recognize that each ship is run as a different sub-company of RCI, and they are all managed differently.

MDR...

The MDR now feels very manufactured, everything used to feel made to order, at least assembled to order, now if I ask for extra X or Y on my plate - they just bring 2 plates because - it's manufactured. The staff numbers are about 1/2, the staff are handling 2x the number of tabes they used to, and on multiple ships we have noticed MDR is just taking WAAAAAY too long, and we almost never get desert because we have to leave for a show. The food quality is more Hotel and less restaurant.

WJ...

I started out as a big fan of the WJ, the buffer had lots of options, they were tasty and fresh, and now it feels like a second rate buffet restaurant. I guess it's good for families with kids, but it isn't a place we frequent much any longer. The quality has dropped. FYI the buffets on Norwegian were FAR superior to RCI.

Chops...

Not worth it, stay in the MDR, and just get a steak, I didn't find their offerings superior enough to warrant the extra cost.

Overview... in all I think they have tried to save money on the MDR/WJ and push for the upgrades, I also think that the cause for the quality drop is simply the many MORE options they now have to serve, instead of handling 2-3 venues onboard, it is now 6-7 venues. Again just not the same.

Also... "Chefs Table" when we did it the first time, the menu was actually developed by the chef running the table, now the "chefs table" is a menu chosen by the cruise line... That defeats the purpose of a chef's table which is supposed to be a show case for the chef. Skip it.

Celebrity is owned by Royal Caribbean so they are making similar cost cutting measures and yes... the quality of their food has gone down drastically (IMHO).

Even after Royal bought Celebrity Celebrity's food remained a level above Royal's for some time. Only in recent years has Celebrity's food slipped considerably, along with all the other mass market lines.

Not going hungry is a pretty low bar.

 

On our last cruise, the MDR quality was below average and except for Giovanni the for-fee dining options were not impressive.

You missed my point. I do agree food quality has slipped but I don't expect 5 star cuisine on a mass market cruise ship with thousands of passengers. But there is always plenty of food available that is more than adequate. I don't set a low bar for food quality but I am realistic.

I agree the food quality has declined and as others have said sometimes it's even worse depending on the chef's team that you have on a given sailing. I think one thing that would help my perspective is if they could introduce some new menus on the non Quantum/Oasis class ships.